The Brutal Death of a Father

An Aussie immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave is founder and managing editor of Israellycool, one of the world's most popular pro-Israel blogs (and the one you are currently reading)
He is a happy family man, and a lover of steak, Australian sports and girlie drinks

The defense establishment on Monday night arrested two Palestinians suspected of murdering Erez Levanon, a resident of the Bat Ayin settlement in Gush Etzion.

The arrest, which took place in the village of Beit Omar near the scene of the murder, was cleared for publication Monday afternoon.

Intelligence information attained by the defense establishment indicated that the murder was carried out by two terrorists who were hiding in a building in the village of Beit Omar, not far from where the stabbing took place.

The two suspects were identified as Khader Abu Daya and Moussa Khalil.

Following up on the lead, security forces raided the building and found the suspects. They were arrested and transferred to Shin Bet custody for interrogation.

According to defense establishment estimates, no official Palestinian organization was behind the attack, which was initiated by the two suspects.

In their interrogation, the two confessed to carrying out the murder, which they said was planned earlier, including patrols of the area. On the day of the attack, the two left their village in possession of knives, and after spotting Levanon they ambushed him and stabbed him to death for nationalistic motives.

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Erez was found brutally stabbed to death just several hundred yards from the Bat Ayin community. It is believed that arab terrorists ambushed Mr. Levanon as he was engaged in his nightly prayer meditation in the forest adjacent to the town. At approximately 6:00 p.m. Sunday, the victim was reported missing by a friend who was waiting to travel with him to Tel Aviv.

Security forces later found the body in a wood just outside the gate of his hometown of Bat Ayin. He was pronounced dead at the scene, having been stabbed and possibly attacked with an axe. The victim‚Äôs car was stolen by the killers and used in their flight from the scene of the attack.

Rabbi Michi Yosefi, a close friend and neighbor of the late victim, said that Erez was “humble and did not seek attention, yet managed to touch the hearts of thousands of Jews with whom he came in contact during their spiritual searchings in India.”

Erez was also a talented musician, who “did wonders with his music and lyrics. He put out a disc that is unlike those sold in stores; something very unique.” The Maariv NRG Hebrew website article on the murder includes a link to hear the song “The Heart and the Well,” written and composed by the victim.

Erez spent the last seven summers in India – first in Manali and afterwards in Bela – meeting with young Israelis seeking to “clean their heads.” “What he managed to do there was simply amazing,” Yosefi told Radio Kol Chai. “I always wondered where such a talent came from… He had a special strength of faith.”

A number of observations.

1. Can you imagine the uproar if anyone murdered a Muslim in prayer, especially an Israeli? Besides the ensuing riots and intifada, the mainstream media would be all over the story like a rash. But because here we are dealing with a dead Israeli – even worse, a “settler” – this has not scored a mention in the (non-Israeli) mainstream media. At the time of this post, the main Middle East headlines are:

Israeli troops search houses in Nablus

Palestinian killed in Israeli siege of Nablus AFP

Israeli troops search houses in Nablus AP

Abbas arrives in UAE for talks AFP

Abbas-Mubarak discuss Palestinian unity gov’t AFP

Israel to hold nationwide nuclear attack drill AFP

Israeli Troops Place Curfew on West Bank City at The New York Times

One shot dead in West Bank raid at BBC

5 Palestinians Die in Gaza Feud at The New York Times

Israeli forces launch Nablus raid at BBC

Europeans tell Abbas unity gov’t must meet Western demands at Haaretz

Not one mention. The MSM is clearly more interested in the IDF’s inadvertent killing of palestinians during an army operation to apprehend terrorists.

2. In case it didn’t sink in, two 18-year-old

palestinian boys planned and executed the brutal stabbing murder of a

father of three, as he meditated in prayer.

Think about it. These two boys patrolled the area, waiting for a victim, saw Erez as he prayed, snuck up to him, and stabbed him repeatedly.

18 years of age.

What kind of society produces such hatred?

Is this a society that deserves statehood?

I posit that morality dictates this society forfeited any claims to statehood a long time ago.

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